Beautiful Apocalypse
by Melampus
Summary: ON HOLD Very sorry guys Uchiha Sasuke was on a mission to help save a ravaged Fire Country. He didn't expect to find a wife or to trigger the beggining of The End Of The World. SasuXFem!Naru
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing except the plot. This story is NOT profit earning. 

Pairings: SasukeXFemale!Demon!Naruto

Warnings: Alternate Universe (sort of). Use of Latin. Potty mouths and Sexual overtures in the progressing chapters. Several characters will be OOC, as per "artistic liberties" with their character history. Still I hope you guys like it.

* * *

BEAUTIFUL APOCALYPSE

Book I: Chapter 1

When Uchiha Sasuke undertook leadership for the tribe's expedition team, they were seven strong in total: four of the best fighters, himself included, a Healer imbued with inhuman strength, an intellectual who specialized in explosives and lastly, a medical expert who was was well versed with terrain and plant life. Out of every person in their tribe, these seven in combination had the best chances of survival. Yet their numbers waned, even if they were the strongest of the strong. He had lost his dear brother, Itachi, to an illness none of them had seen before. This disease was so new, so sudden and deadly that it had eluded two of their best medics, Kabuto and Sakura. Their only recourse was to swiftly slit the older man's throat to ease his pain; burning his body so as not to infect the survivors. The only memoir that Uchiha Itachi ever existed was the beaded cord that now adorned the earth-crusty hilt of his younger brother's sword.

Another member of the Leaf Tribe called Deidara lay beneath rubble and sand, his body lost to the deserts. The blond had sacrificed his life, holding open the gates of an abandoned burial Temple, so he could save the others. That happened six days ago.

Now here they were, underneath the musky canopy of a tropical rainforest, huddled together in a dingy circle for warmth and comfort. A flimsy campfire illuminating their wan faces, casting a frightening shadow upon one of their own. The reclusive warrior, rumored to be a direct descendant of the Great Snake, Orochimaru, had lost both his arms due to a harrowing attack earlier that day. Hacked off by a sickle-like mimicking limb from whatever it was that dwelled in this jungle. Only stumps that ended below the elbow joints remained, covered in blood-soaked tatters. The malefactors were bizarre creatures, insect-like, yet a thousand times bigger, faster and clearly intelligent. Sasuke's team had barely survived... if they would survive at all.

Sasuke glanced at each and every remaining member of their team. To his right was the Apprentice Healer called Sakura; she should have been back with their people, her only concern was wether or not she should accept tokens from suitors. That frightened looked out of place on her face. Kabuto and Orochimaru sat closer to the fire; the former wearily tipping a sleeping tonicto the latter so the Snake-like warrior could sleep easily. Kabuto's mouth was pinched at the ends, his silver hair matted with sweat and blood. He sighed brokenly as Orochimaru gave a wheeze, breath coming in shallow gasps as he finally succumbed to sweet unconsciousness. Their last member was his most trusted confidante; dour and serious Hyuuga Neji. He had come from an honored lineage, was a competent fighter but was cast aside by his family for reasons unknown. The long haired man leaned upon the trunk of a tree, exhausted beyond physical limits. He had been the one to pry off the thing that had preyed upon Orochimaru, but with no great amount of pain to himself. He would lose his life if he so much as exerted effort into one measly punch.

The last Uchiha closed his eyes. The losses weighed heavily on Sasuke's conscience and sorrow. In truth, he did lot like Orochimaru at all and would ordinarily never come willingly withing ten feet of him; he also despised love struck Sakura who badgered him constantly with her misplaced affections. He found Kabuto socially inept and greasy; while Deidara had been brash and noisy. At the start of this trip, Sasuke could only tolerate Neji and his older brother. Yet all of these things didn't matter. Shouldn't matter. He lead this expedition and he had a responsibility not only to the tribe but each and every member that was here right now. Even if he failed Itachi and Deidara, he would see to it that all the others made it back in one piece.

His eyed directed itself at the limbless Snake-warrior and the raven haired man grimaced. Casting his self loathing aside, his mind began to tabulate possibilities and formulate plans.

In the near distant past, Hinata, the Seer of the Leaf Tribe and cousin to one Neji, had Prophecied of an ancient source dwelling within the far flung unexplored territories of the Southern Lands. This relic or whatever it was, could allay the corruption of both man and nature. It would restore health, beauty and set right chakra that had gone awry. Hinata had only been able to Sense it and its power. She did not know what it looked like, how it operated and exactly where it lay hidden. There were myths and stories concerning its or their existence. Sasuke knew of them. That was where the problem was. His team had ended up floundering in the proverbial dark chasing after a chance solution. Because of that ignorance, two men were lost and the livelihood of another had been snuffed out.

He snorted to himself. The Telling sounded so much better coming from Seer-Hinata. At present, it sounded like some cock-and-bull story told to gullible fools who were desperate enough to...The raven haired Uchiha bolted upright. Desperation. Was Seer-Hinata that desperate that she would grudgingly expend seven of the most highly valued Shinobi of their tribe to chase after fairy tales? The implications were frightening.

A hand startled him out of his trail of thoughts. "Sasuke, are you ok?" Sakura asked. Little did he know, that as he worried for his comrades (never his friends really), so they were troubled over their leader. True, Sasuke was a silent recluse even as a child, but he became much much worse after his older brother had passed away. He held himself aloft from other members, concerned because he had to.

Grunting in reply, he told her to get some sleep, mind furiously at work. Sasuke was anything but a heroic, idealist. He was pragmatic at best and pessimistic at worst. The only feasible plan he foresaw was to continue with the search alone. In times such as these, the Leaf Tribe needed all hands that could be spared. The medics were obviously best sent home. What with people suddenly getting sick and weakened. Orochimaru was virtually useless to him now that he had no hands to fight with. Oh he could probably cast jutsu, but would be impeded by the bloodloss. Neji, due to his exhaustion, was out of the question as well. The search party needed to be swift. Waiting for the both warriors to recuperate was wasting time. Sasuke could forge on alone. In fact he was the ideal choice. His health and chakra reserves were acceptable and would not be affected by the Taint that haunted the Land of Fire this far into the South. He was the only one who remotely knew what it was they were looking for (although he wasn't entirely sure) and he could travel faster by himself. He had no family left to go back home to, seeing as how his only kith and kin had passed before him. If he perished, he would perish alone.

He had to send them back. And the only way to do it was to activate the Jutsu meticulously written on the scroll that rested snugly against his hip. It was impressed upon him that this was for "a last resort". And in his mind, the situation was as dire as ever.

Sasuke's elegant, yet rough hand crept unto his belt pouches, untying knots and dipping into a leather flap that held the precious way back to the Leaf Tribe.

"What are you planning, Uchiha?" demanded a sharp voice. Neji's pearl-colored gaze seared into his soul. Hints of the Sight were granted to him, allowing erratic access to What Was To Be.

"Nothing that concerns you, Hyuuga." Sasuke returned. He shifted into the green earth under the pretense of getting comfortable, but in reality he loosed the scroll. When he was good and ready for the casting he turned to his comrade. "Tell them that I will continue until I have no breath left in this body."

Shouts of protests and gasps of shock spewed from those who realized what their Leader intended.

The last Uchiha bit his thumb, wiped his blood on the words of the scroll, cast the spell, excluding himself from the number of "passengers" and watched dispassionately as his companions shimmered and then faded into nothingness, one by one. He blinked and examined the campsite. Nothing was left except opened backpacks, messily spread bedrolls, and strips of bandages.

Knowing that his allies were safe did not ease the agonizing loneliness he felt. Even when he hung back from their "campfire gatherings" these two years, he had been very much comforted amidst their low chatter. Watching as the scroll reduced itself to ashes, he let himself be awash with sorrow. He was startled to find tears in his eyes; for himself or for his brother, he could never tell.

-

-

Sasuke cursed anew, weeks into his staggering through the thick foliage. He had recently stumbled upon an crumbling effigy of a leaping animal engulfed in flame. He squinted against the gloom and heaved imprecations on the thick leaves that prevented the thin shafts of sunlight from wafting through.

He was loathe to waste chakra, but he had no choice. He could barely see the end of his nose. Muttering a quick katon, the raven haired man searched for usable faggots on the earth floor. Finding a strong two feet branch, he sent flames at the end of it, sat down, while chucking the other end of the makeshift staff into the ground and rummaged into his backpack. He needed to verify something.

When his hand came in contact with old dried leather, Sasuke quickly yanked out the small diary of one of his predecessors. It was the journal of Shisui the Dreamer. An unlikely Uchiha who was besotted with myth and legend rather than warfare. Shisui, outcasted from the clan, combed the world for stories, theories and what not; writing his discoveries in the very notebook that Sasuke held within his hand.

The last Uchiha had stumbled upon it underneath several family heirlooms, in the attic of their old mansion, when he was but a child. That had ignited a passion for myths like his great uncle's. But unlike his forefather, Sasuke delved into myths as a pastime. This was why he was chosen to lead the mission in the first place. Seer-Hinata's vision had coincided roughly with several legends in Shisui's Mythology manual.

Worn, brittle pages were flipped one after the other. "Effigy... effigy... where is it. I've read it somewhere before..." muttered the Katon user. "Hm. Fox, rearing on its hind legs, bakground with flame... hmmm... according to the People of Sound was a Guardian, who entertained supplicants."

He closed the book with a snap, as he exhaled shakily. Here, finally, was a sign of greater possibility! Even if Kitsune demons were frauds or proselytes who thought themselves as fox kin, someone had to have made these carvings on the wall. Perhaps they marked entrances to caves filled with treasure or an ancient book of knowledge... something that might help.

Pulling the torch free, he strapped his back securely and began brushing away fallen leaves in his path. Kitsune demons, according to Shisui, were said to make dwellings deep underground. And they marked the surface of their abode with hard grey rock-like substance, forming linear patterns. It took him several hours until he found his first firm, straight line that looked like liquid metal. Heart thumping in excitement, he followed it faithfully, until he stopped at the end of a gigantic tree. The tree was like no tree he had ever seen before. Aside from being freakishly wide and squat, it was lumpy like a sackful of pillows. It also smelled rank, like curdled milk and leftover stew. Holes about seven feet wide littered the great trunk all around.

"What is this?" he frowned as his hand touched a smooth, shiny bump inside a bole. It was hard and smooth. He squeezed it and to his shock was answered with an angry hiss. His black eyes widened when several hulking shapes hopped down from the tree. They were identical to the insect like creatures that had attacked them before. And it looked like he had just stumbled upon a whole colony!

Seeing no other recourse, Sasuke took to the trees and ran for his life. He could probably handle two on his own, three if he was desperate, but he had no disillisions against twenty of them. He leapt away as a spiky appendage pierced through the tree branch he was on.

Squashed like a bug BY a bug was a Humiliating, Despicable Un-Shinobi-like Death That Should Be Avoided At All Costs. Sasuke had, at the very least, wanted to die in battle against a worthy opponent.

He jumped into the ground. "Katon: Housenka no Jutsu." The air vibrated with the strength of his spell, quickly drowning lush trees into a sea of flames and striking the nearest pursuer between bulging, round eyes. Quickly resuming his break neck speed, Sasuke darted left and right into bushes and brambles, praying that he would lose them in the leafy maze. No such luck. A hairy leg brushed against his back, sending him sprawling into a patch of weeds and surprisingly a downward sloping crevice of rock and sand.

Spinning and rolling, Sasuke had no idea where he was, all he knew was that for the moment he was safe, inside a ridiculously well lit cavern. A cavern that smelled like sulfuric acid. (It made Sasuke's nose twitch).He sneezed ones or twice, but ignored the odor. He was just happy that those large disgusting bugs couldn't possibly fit into the small opening chasm, and then he began to relax. With a huff, the last Uchiha gingerly sat himself up, wincing. Nothing seemed to be broken. The hilt of his sword had poked him in the thigh. It would cause bruises and nothing else. All he had to deal with now were sore, stiff muscles, the scattered items of his backpack and his worse for wear appearance. He stood up carefully gathering the contents of his materials so as not to jar his aching joints. He tottered forward when a particularly heavy wind gust blew from behind him. Sasuke became more relieved. That meant there was another exit at the back of this underground chasm, one where he could use to escape those pesky oversized cockroaches upstairs. First, he needed to recuperate.

Sasuke turned around, only to be met with a velvety, cold, doggy-like nose that was bigger than the whole of his head and his upper torso altogether. The nose lifted to reveal a rictus snarl and rows upon rows of glimmering, slobbery sharp teeth.

Whatever it was he expected to find. This was NOT it. The raven haired man did the only thing he could do. For the first time in 21 years, he screamed.

"Calm yourself human." a soft, gutteral voice, resounded inside the cave. The disembodied set of teeth veered away from him, only to showcase, blazing red fur, streamlined with darker maroon ones. Red eyes rimmed blue that regarded him in amused silence from atop a narrow snout and a slender column of neck.

That amusement, more than anything, bristled along the edges of Sasuke's pride. His dignity forced him to gather the pieces of himself that had been lost to stark terror. The young man impressed upon himself to acknowledge the blazing rationality behind the beastly appearance. It could talk, albeit rolling its "R"s and now that he could observe without fear, Sasuke realized it seemed more wise than any other human he had encountered. Somehow, he couldn't help feeling a little humbled and awed.

"Why, thank you for the flattery, little human." The giant face, snout and all tilted sideways, into what looked to be a little lupine grin. "I take it you are better? You are not going to scream anymore?"

The human beneath the creature's chin blushed. He shook his head, not trusting to voice out his answers. If he did he'd most likely let loose an embarrassed squeak.

The grin became a coy smirk. "I seem to have that effect on most humans." The creature crossed its fore paws one over the other, resting its head on it and maintained eye level with the last Uchiha. "So what can this poor lonesome fox do for you? You have come a long way from home, little human, just to visit. Dire matters must be afoot."

"What are you?" the human blurted out before he could stop himself. It seemed that his brain refused to realign properly with his mouth.

The reply came in a dry tone. "You are certainly no diplomat. You do not possess the silver tongue of the previous humans who have come here. Oh well, it is a rather refreshing change." The fox chuckled, fanning nine perfectly groomed red tails with white tips. "Aside from being a female Kyuubi and a free sentient being, I do not know what I am. Do you?"

Sasuke lost all eloquence; too dumbstruck in the face of something he thought could not exist.

"How terribly rude of you." the she-demon sniffed. The Uchiha's thoughts projecting itself unto the Kyuubi, loud and clear. "Just because you carry no proof of a Kyuubi's being, does not mean we do no exist. Tsk tsk tsk..." she butted the Uchiha's chest with a wet fox nose. "There now, you have seen me, conversed with me, felt my weight and my fur. Should not that confirm that I am real?"

The human just blinked.

The Kyuubi lolled her eyes to the right. "Oh, get over the shock, post haste! I have not had a decent conversation in a millenia! I am very much confident in you speaking skills, little human. You can answer this next question. It is not at all difficult. What do you wish of me?"

"Don't patronize me!" Sasuke growled. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. Not "little human"."

"Temper, temper." the she-demon put a gentle paw atop his spiky haired head. "You are rather minute in all honesty. Have humans always been this tiny?" She removed her appendage and settled back to watch him. "Never you mind. Unto pressing matters shall we? I know you and your Seer, Jus-Fidei (1), the one with white eyes seek to use my powers. Why do you wish it so?"

Confusion bloomed unto Sasuke's pale face. The current Leaf Seer was Hinata. Although, she did have white eyes, he knew no one named Jus Fidei. His questions led to even more questions. It seemed that Kyuubi was aware of their current situation, and whatever bargaining leverage he had would be lost. He could not see how, though. He had never had contact with the fox, nor the fox with him until recently.

"I am part of the world, as old as time itself. I have caught the whispers in the wind. The Words that it carries, I hear. If you must leave with nothing else, remember only this. Words are powerful. The Unspoken ones coupled with a strong will even more so. As for your "Hinata"... It is of no consequence as of the moment."

The human peered at the Kyuubi suspiciously. "You're reading my mind, aren't you? Stop it."

"It is not my fault that you willingly display your thoughts, human. It is the same with "Hinata", when her consciousness touched mine in that instant, her thoughts were revealed to me. As yours were, when you considered the possibility of my reality." The she-demon stood on all fours. "I grow weary of this. Do you wish for me to recall your brother from the dead? The whole Uchihca clan? Do you wish enough power to be the strongest in the world? Ah, how terrible of me. I must learn to hold my tongue. There has been no talk of payment between you and I."

"Everything comes with a price." The raven haired man stated tiredly, even as he jumped at the chance that he could have his relative back. "Name it."

The Kyuubi nodded. "Most assuredly. In exchange for granting four of your wishes, you must defeat me in combat."

Sasuke was bruised, tired, hungry and weak. He stared at the she-demon's massive girth and the crackling stir of chakra that she expelled with every breath.

One thought crossed his mind.

_SHIT!_

* * *

And that's the end of the first chapter. Please read and review. I'd really like to know what you guys think of this story, because I'm trying something new. -smiles- thanks!

Oh and some "normal words" are capitalized, they will be explained as the story progresses

1 Jus Fidei - Latin for "Warrant for Belief".


	2. Chapter 2

STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY 

Sorry for the long delay. I just recently found out what was wrong with my unable to upload stories. It's MY PC... huhuhu... I have to use my mom's if I want to post stories... sigh oh well, but at least it's better than nothing right?

Thank you for the wonderful reviews!

* * *

Chapter 2

It could never be said that Uchiha Sasuke was craven, especially in battle. He was confident of his skills and knew how to exploit his enemies' weaknesses, thanks to his Sharingan. But Sasuke knew when enough was enough. He could never even dream to defeat the free spirit in front him. The Kyuubi who held so much knowledge and had infinite chakra. That and there was nothing in his training that stated how to fight a fifty foot fox.

The fight was unfair.

It didn't mean, however, that he wouldn't try. Shrugging his various aches away, Sasuke unsheathed his nameless sword and positioned it to a stop thrust it, running toward the Kyuubi.

"Hold, Uchiha Sasuke." came the command.

The boy found himself skidding sideways, raising dust devils. He did not know why, but his body hummed with energy not his own. He realized that his very own self had obeyed the order of the she-demon. Sasuke found himself pushed further into a quandary. The fox could easily command his doom and his body would follow. His grip on the katana tightened; knuckles turning a pallid hue.

Kyuubi peered at him not unkindly. "I believe this form is daunting. And you are nearly dead on your feet. It would be best to level the field."

No sooner had the word left the she-demon's mouth when the pale young man felt tingles running all over his body, as was before. For the first time since in what felt like eons to the ebony haired Shinobi, he was refreshed and renewed. His chakra reserves were full to overfilling.

"And as for me." the demon fox suddenly bayed. Energy crackled around her; mist and wind briefly obscuring her form. "This is acceptable is not?"

The she-demon stepped forward in her human form, clad in a simple pair of hose and long slitted tunic, altered for fighting. She still had her strawberry-blond colored ears and her delicate tails, as was six parallel whisker markings on her cheeks. Stretched to full height, she barely reached his chin. The she-demon looked helpless and fragile, with her tilted blue eyes, her small pert nose, full pink lips and that stubborn chin. Ragged sunshine hair framed her heart shaped face, falling in layers that brush against her nape. "Shall we begin?" her voice had lost its purring rumble. She widened her stance, placed her arms in front of her in a controlled semi-circle; her left arm open, palm to her eye level and her right guarding her middlle.

Sasuke smirked. He was intrigued by this elfin manifestation. Brushing his toes to form a small arch on the floor, he flew forward with a silent cry.

The slice that was to connect with a shoulder, met thin air, Kyuubi had stepped sideways and executed a sweep kick. Growling, the Uchiha flipped backwards, releasing kunai with explosive notes. He watched as his opponent dodged every single one.

"Katon: Gokakyou no Jutsu." He flittered through the necessary seals with practiced ease, watching as the Kyuubi raised a brow at the oncoming fire balls.

She threw a careless hand in the air and murmured. "Irrigo Are (1)." A stream of crystal clear water shot through from the ground, disintegrating the Katon. Kyuubi watched as the Uchiha activated his Sharingan. She understood that he wanted to know how she pulled the water wall without the rigmarole. The she-demon shook her head. She could Sense the desires that flooded the human's thought. He was not very careful in guarding them. There was on old addage for this such as this, Be careful what you wish for...

"Ventus.(2)" Criss cross blades of wind shot at the Uchiha, spinning as wildly as the tomoe in his garnet eyes. He flipped several times in rapid succession, not seeing the powerful little whirlwhind that rushed him from another angle, catching him off guard and tossing him upwards. Kyuubi smiled when her guest poofed into nothingness and she could feel the steel of his blade rushing at her from the side. She bent forward, whipping her foot into his head. This was one of her favorite moves, the Dragon Tail. She attacked the Uchiha with renewed vigor, going through different forms and patterns. The human retaliated with a different style of his own. The Sasuke she had been trading blows with disappeared after a critical hit, transformed into an exploding talisman. She tipped her head back and laughed as an erruption rocked the cave.

Several explosions, jutsus and shurikens later, Sasuke sunk to the ground, his already ruined clothing all but disintegrated. The Kyuubi had scored light wounds across his back, on his left arm, his thighs and a small scratch on his cheek. She was toying with him or handling him with utmost care so she wouldn't kill him. Either way, it rankled the Uchiha that he, one of the best warriors of the Leaf could barely graze her with any of his attacks. Kyuubi had performed only two of her weird jutsu while he had outspent his own arsenal. He was partially deaf and his Sharingan-assisted eyes were blurry with overuse. And the she-demon swaggered toward him.

Lifting his head with a roar, the human forced his legs and arms to move into the deathly sword dance. He shuffled to meet her, his katana glinting morbidly with the dying rays of the sun. This fool move would guarrantee the incapacitation of its victim as well as that of sword wielder, but Sasuke was fast running out of options. Sinking the sword into soft flesh, he performed the last Katon he was capable of, before he slumped wordlessly against his foe.

When Sasuke came to, the first thing he noticed was the unbearable heat. It didn't burn like fire nor scald like steam, but he felt like a thoroughly spitted duck (3). He groaned as he put a hand to his eyes, trying to massage away the vertigo. He squinted.

"Hi." a chipper voice greeted him. Sasuke turned toward the sound only to have his cheek poke itself upon an index finger. "You have been slumbering for so long, I began to fear you would not wake up."

The demon turned semi-human was observing him with wide curious eyes, her lower lip sticking out. "You have been recuperating for the last four days, if you must know. And you have stolen my bed."

"Nobody asked you to give it up." was the raspy reply. The human warrior tightened his abdominal muscles, pulling himself up to a seating position. It was then that he noticed that he wore not a stitch. He stared dumbly at his naked flesh, then at the bored she-demon humming random notes. He twitched at the indignity of it all. Here he was, laying on a raised earthen platform, inside a grassy bower, NAKED for FOUR days (96 hours, 5760 minutes and counting)!! The proof of his manhood flagging into the wind, displayed like... like... there were no words... and this FEMALE creature had been granted callous audience to members of HIS royal family.

Sasuke didn't know whether to die of shame or to purify the demon's eyes with a Katon Jutsu. No woman or girl, with the exception of his departed mother, had ever seen him unclothed.

The Kyuubi was treated to a most fascinating chameleon-like exhibition on the part of the human. The whole of skin turned to different shades of choleric red and magenta, then ashen gray to a ridiculous spotty purple."I had need to take your clothes off. The healing effects of my heat-spelled bower would have not been as effective otherwise. Is there something the matter? "

He sputtered, floundering into the nest and covering his essentials. He ignored the rattling voice in the back of his head that stated that his futile attempts at modesty came a bit too late.

"Why? Does this cause you discomfort?" She asked while roughly jabbing him in his crotch, making him wince. "Is it over sensitive to the heat? Does it ail you in anyway?"

Seeing as the concern on the she-demon's face was genuine, the Shinobi ignored her questions. "Can I have my clothes back? Right now?" he spat through gritted teeth.

A small, tan face pressed itself closer to his own. "Are you sure you are well? That appendage looks like it is not at all healthy;limp"

"DOBE!" he finally snarled, preventing her from finishing her sentence and further injuring his masculine pride. "Just get my clothes!"

"If it is your wish." was her stiff retort. "... no manners at all." She returned with new clothes: A simple white long-sleeved mao, coupled with an embroidered sash and black loose pants. "Your previous apparel is .. ah... inappropriate. I fashioned new clothes after its design. I hope it is to your liking."

The ninja peered down, refusing eye contact as he reached for his new clothes. "Thanks."

"If you wish to retain your dignity, there is a vanity and a dressing room over there." a snicker. "Though I believe it is not of any consequence as of now."

Taking her word, Sasuke plowed to the room and hastily put on his new wear. He really wanted to snarl at her for her teasing, but found himself uncomfortable in the face of it. Putting aside his embarrasment, he found his clothes comfortable and light; perfect for fighting, yet thick enough to regulate room temperature.

"These clothes are wonderful. Where did you get ?" Sasuke halted as he spied the Kyuubi prostrate before him, nine tails erect. "What the hell are you doing?"

Slitted red eyes were reproachful. "You have just destroyed the sancitity of the moment." She paused for a moment. "Ahem... you have defeated me in combat, Uchiha Sasuke . As was agreed, the boon of four wishes is yours to make. You may state them now or at a later date."

The Uchiha gathered his wits about him and thought it out. He knew he didn't win; couldn't win... And he didn't understand why a demon of her caliber would lose on purpose. Was this some sort of plot? or were there more evil consequences, he did not know of?

"I beg your pardon?!" she exclaimed thoroughly shocked. "I will tell you now, that I am bound by Words not as humans are. I cannot say a thing and not mean it. You won because you won. I have no secret agenda." Sasuke could see the Kyuubi forcefully calming herself. She bowed low and muttered bitterly. "The only outcome of making your wishes is that I would send you back to your tribe if you have made all four. Nothing more and nothing less."

She lifted her elfin face; her unflinching eyes never leaving his own.

Sasuke bit his lip, a little guilty but at the same time still cautious. "Just tell me why you let me win, then we'll leave it at that."

"Because you are a strong warrior who managed to injure me with cunning and power. None of the other humans could achieve that. And because... because..." she turned her head away, as if embarassed. "Because it is really wonderful having someone to talk with even for a short while..."

Knowing that it was an honest answer made Sasuke's cheeks flush red. He, too, looked away from her. He realized she was lonely. And his recent bout with the "alone-ness" made him more sympathetic to her plight. He observed her from the corner of his eye, his quick mind darting at possibilities.

She would be of better use if he brought her home. She could assess the problem herself, rather than him telling her a symptom and not getting rid of the source.

That and she was honest and strong... beautiful... and she didn't cling...

Making up his mind, the Uchiha came to a decision. "Can we redo the deal?"

"Yes..." the Kyuubi said slowly. "But always remember that there will be a price to pay. A fair price." She cocked her head to the side, puzzling over what the human wanted this time.

"In exchange for three of my wishes, I want to take you with me."

The Kyuubi blinked as if not hearing him, too stunned.

"Would you be my girlfriend?"

Sasuke would later slap himself for this. He didn't mean to ask her this at all. He just wanted the Kyuubi to not be lonely. It was repayment for her kindness and the clothes... Truthfully! But it seemed his mouth ran on its own. He couldn't rescind his words either. The cursed Uchiha pride wouldn't let him.

And that pride crumbled before her naive blue eyes.

"What's a girlfriend?" The Kyuubi finally asked.

* * *

Translations:

1 Irrigo Are Water

2 Ventus Wind

3 Sometimes Sasuke's hair reminds me of a duck's butt... actually it does most of the time.

Just a few friendly reminders: **I'm still working on the plot of the story so it will take a while**. Please don't pressure me into updating fast, because I want this story to be as perfect as possible. That and I have a new job and a newborn niece to care for. I have my hands full. I'll do my very best to update quickly.

Also, you guys will begin to see the "real Naruto" shining through real soon.

Please don't forget to review.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey Hey! STANDARD DISCLAIMERS STILL APPLY!

I'm back with an update... hmm... I think I just lost myself in the plot. It swallowed me up whole. I know some of you are rady to murder me right about now. I'm doing the best I can.

I made up my own mythology here (as if you can't tell) and this is not a diss on any religion, myth, lore, culture and what not!!! This is MY idea... actually it's more like the conclusions I've drawn by connecting several faraway dots.

And "Naruto" appears next chapter. I promise!!

Oh and by the way, I do not appreciate being told to "update now" without so much as a "by your leave".

* * *

Chapter 3 

An awkwardness hung in the air.

Popular, near-god-like Uchiha Sasuke had never been shot down in any way before. The girls themselves would offer their souls to have Sasuke ask them that. For the first time in the history of mankind, the raven haired man had dared ask the "Unaskable Question", only to be rebuffed with sheer innocence.

He really didn't know what was worse; turned away because he wasn't wanted or because she didn't know what having a boyfriend meant.

The Kyuubi looked up at him expectantly. "I assure you, I am entirely serious in my pursuit of an answer. What is this "girlfriend" you speak of?"

Forcing down an irritated huff, Sasuke began to explain, not quite going into the detail, but at the same time wanting to; perhaps to ruffle her feathers and to get back at her for that major embarrasment. "... lovers..." he mumbled, finally ending his spiel.

"I believe I know now." as the lights went on his Kyuubi's expressive sapphire eyes. "You must mean to make me your mate, then?"

The Uchiha squirmed.

"Such are the times... "Lovers", "Girlfriends"..." she said to herself, raising her head from her kowtow to gaze at the human male. "I had never thought to update my vocabulary." She did a double take from her musings. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR GOURD??!!!"

Sasuke did not answer her.

The Kyuubi began to sputter, her furry ears were tugged by agitated hands and her tails were swish-swishing left to right. "You and I are... you're human and I'm ... something else and but the... I can't be... but the... DO you know HOW OLD I AM??!! Eh? I don't... huh?!!"

Her flaxen locks were pulled backward, exposing her line of sight to a seething mouth. A seeting mouth that was suddenly smooshed against her full pink lips. As the human boy pulled backward, she goggled at him, her cheeks stained with a dusky red.

She licked her lips, and put her nervous hands behind her back to twist her clothes. "Why did you do that?" But the human just stared at her blandly.

The last Uchiha did not speak again. Partly because he was suprised at himself for acting like a lunatic with a crush but majorly since he really didn't know what to say. He kept eye contact with the she-demon. Waiting. Hoping.

Kyuubi blinked a few times, before closing her eyes. All traces of her previous hysteria had been banished by the slight upward curling of her lips. This made the human feel uncomfortable. His intuition told him that she had been eavesdropping into his subconcious thoughts again and she must have gleaned something from him... something agreeable to her.

Sometimes he hated women, and their powers of discernment.

"It is your decision to make, Uchiha Sasuke." she murmured. A slit of mischievous blue winked. Something that rankled him to no end.

Resigning himself to a probably omnipotent companion, Sasuke drew himself as regally as he could. "Get ready, we're leaving tomorrow at early dawn."

-

-

Although the she-demon said that she had transported them halfway to his tribe, it still comforted the Uchiha to note the familiar specimen of plant life that surrounded them. He didn't know what he would do if he spotted any more of those weird overgrown weeds... or those ginormous man-eating bugs.

"Where are we?" he deigned to ask his prancing companion, who generally acted like a little eager puppy out for a walk. He scoffed as his mental image presented him with a fox demon rolling over and playing dead.

His companion halted, twitching. "Please refrain from ever thinking those kinds of thoughts again Uchiha. I might be forced to remedy the errors of it whilst conveniently "rolling over" your puny mortal body."As for your question, we are in The Forest of Sorrows. Give or take about a week's travel to reach the Fire Country."

The Forest of Sorrows.

Sasuke had heard about that place. Most of his people avoided and the Seer advised that they steer clear of it. While it did have the makings of a normal forest, it was too eerily silent and just like it's name implied, felt entirely somber and melancholic. All of the Konoha inhabitants had no qualms avoiding the Forest of Sorrows.

"It feels strange." he murmured.

The she-demon stared at him not unkindly. "There is nothing to fear in a forest that laments. It as old as I am; as old as the world."

He did not understand and the demon did not elaborate. They walked a ways before the Kyuubi veered off their path and sat down on a rock.

"Before we go to civilization, tell me about the world as it is now. I know nothing of the present machinations. And I do believe my ignorance would raise some unwanted questions."

The request though perfectly logical startled him. He had never interacted with any other human as freely as he had with this entity. And although small talk daunted him, Sasuke found himself explaining animatedly the nuances of the Leaf Tribe and a brief history of the world.

"So your tribe is governed by a strong leader called a Kage, who relies on the foretellings of the Unseen by your Seer. Those who serves in the ways of combats are called ninja or shinobi while those who take up the Healing arts are called medics." the Kyuubi analyzed her companion's story. "I do not understand why your tribe has become nomadic. If my memory serves me correctly the Fire Country is a blessed land with several fiefdoms, kingdoms and glorious citadels. It was a bustle with scientific whatnot at the turn of the last century or so. Surely your tribe could have occupied one of the abandoned ones? What of the Shrine of the Jinchuuriki? I would believe the spells that protect that land was made to stand to this day until forever. It would have been the safest choice."

Sasuke inhaled deeply. Something to that effect had been described in his wandering relative's notes. "I thought that was just a fairytale... besides nobody alive knows where it is, aside from you that is. I don't even know what a citadel is."

"It is quite disappointing to hear that humans would have forgotten about their Utopia. I suppose it could not be helped. Time erases as she will." She replied with a frown, visibly upset. "A citadel is... it is quite hard to define. It is a guard -building for a town or a tribe if you will. It stands tall and firm against her foes and is build with the strongest materials."

"I've been meaning to ask. Why do you talk like that?" He made no comment about her previous statement but it didn't take a genius to figure out that he was curious.

"Oh?" she seemed startled with the inquiry. "Is my way of speech incorrect? Outdated?"

A soft chuckle. "You sound like some old scholar-teacher from fifty years ago. Incorrect, no. Outdated, most definitely."

"I suppose my speech patterns are quite... unique. I would have to learn how to speak properly for this day and age."

He nodded. "Hn." He dusted off his pants and stood up, a clear indication that they were supposed to be on their way.

"Don't worry. We foxes are tricky." she smirked. "Whoopee, I've learned how to contract. It's quite easy learning to speak your way. The Root is still the same."

"Hn?"

"Language and grammatical rules do not just give birth by itself. It has a Root which all other derive from. Trust me when I say Words are important. With a strong will, one can be unstoppable."

"You've been saying that "will line" since we first met." Sasuke observed.

She turned to wink at him. "It wouldn't do for me to reveal all so early in the stage, eh Sasuke? Where's the fun in that? But to give a taste of ambrosia. You certainly use Words well, with your jutsus."

A shiver ran down the boy's spine. For some reason, that felt like an omen. Ill or not, the surviving Uchiha did not know.

-

-

Several days into the journey and Sasuke could FEEL how close they were to home. He was relieved, excited, anxious and tense all at the same time.

He would have been glad to be home among familiar faces and human contact; he was happy he came out alive with the help needed. The only problem was if the Kyuubi would provide the RIGHT kind of aid. After all was said and done; even with excellent manners and wit, a demon was still a demon.

A furry tail or two sloshed about and he nearly bonked himself against a tree for missing the obvious. The Leaf Tribe would NOT take kindly to demons!!!

A brow was raised his way. "Don't start depressing yourself, Sasuke. I have several somethings up my sleeve."

He grunted, annoyed that she had read him correctly again.

"And thank you for worrying about lil' ol' me!!" she chuckled coyly, clasping her hands together in an extrememly feminine way.

The action irked the Uchiha to no end. She was acting like one of his fan girls... FANGIRLS!!!

"Hold, Sasuke!!" she cried, swatting him with an outstretched arm. "I... I don't believe this!!!"

Frowning, the human looked about warily for signs of imminent danger.

"I do believe there about four of us who know the location of the Shrine of the Jinchuuriki now." she closed her eyes, sniffing the air as she tilted her head back. "All males and unmated. This must be some sort of miracle."

The Uchiha was suprised to see the expression of utter pleasure on her face. It made him think naughty, naughty thoughts. He convenently forgot that the Kyuubi had sort-of turned him down before. Clearing his thoughts, before his mouth decided to operate alone, he scoffed. "What are you going on about?!"

Jumping slightly, the she-demon flushed. "I'm sorry... it's just that I haven't been out of my cave for so long and there are potential mates... uhm..." She steeled herself from whatever fantasies she'd been obviously having. "What I meant to say is that there are three more of my kind: two in Konoha, the Nibi and the Five tailed demon. One in the East, to the arid deserts, the Ichibi."

What the HELL!???? The Uchiha was pissed.

He, SASUKE FREAKIN' UCHIHA (Mr. Man himself), had been rebuffed, albeit with several valid reasons. He had lowered his mile-high pride and propositioned her!!!!!! (well, he hadn't meant to do it but that didn't count) However, three other men were being seriously and SIMULTANEOUSLY considered, because she SMELLED them??!!!! ALL THE WAY FROM OVER HERE?!!!!!

It was un-freaking-believable!!!!!

Wait a moment. Was she drooling?!

The Kyuubi let out an embarrassed stuttering laugh. She scratched the nape of her neck and closed her eyes; her human imitation of her foxy self. "Forgive my lack of dignity... I appear to be quite depraved as of the moment..." Clearing her throat, she ran up to a flat slab of rock and problaimed that they should stop for the night. "We will be upon the Leaf people tomorrow noon."

She said no more and sat down, calmly staring at the beginnings of starlight twinkle. Sasuke merely watched her, curious about the subtle shades that were found on her face: in the tiny frown of her lips and the longing of her eyes.

How long had she been in that unreachable place, alone?

And his whole perspective of her changed dramatically. He felt a certain kinship and sympathy with her previous plight, while feeling all the more anxious about WHY she chose to isolate herself in the first place. A being as knowledgable and as powerful as her would have escaped long ago...

Tightening his lips with resolve, the Uchiha set about fixing camp. He would deal with this as time allowed.

She didn't shift one bit, even as the sun settled down. "Uchiha, when asked me for the Mating, was there truth in your words?"

"W-What!!" he choked on his own spit. A thousand answers roved into his mind, but none of them were fit to be an honest excuse. He flinched as she came closer, her bewitching blue eyes enticing him. Dainty yet calloused hands gripped his neck gently.

How many times must he lose his composure with her? He had a feeling there were more to come.

The Kyuubi smiled at him. A smile that was heart wrenching, fearful and beautiful all at the same time.

"Lay with me." A haunting whisper.

"Claim me."

Her ears were tucked down submissively as she lay her head on the corner of his chest.

"I offer myself."

* * *

WA-aaaahhh... that wasn't supposed to be the original ending... curses... I always wonder why I just can't seem to stick to my original plots... -sigh- oh well... I kind of liked it; the way Kyuubi was acting and hinting at... and her honest seductions... hahahahaha ... is that really possible??!!! If some of you are wondering where Naruto is... mwahahahaha... it's a secret and a surprise!!! 

Hey I made Kyuubi lose composure... hehe

Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

STANDARD DISCLAIMERS STILL APPLY 

Here's the next installment. There's a small explanation here and hopefully it won't be confusing.

* * *

Chapter 4

Sasuke lay blinking, a scant minute away from wakefulness. For the first time since arriving within familiar territory, the magnificence of the morning did nothing to impress.

Last night seemed so surreal.

He shifted and groaned, realizing he had overexerted himself. He had turned into some kind of salacious Cassanova, and now his body was paying for it.

The Uchiha flushed. Or was it because Demon-mating rituals were as intense as they were complicated? ... and definitely kinky. How could he forget kinky...

Shaking his head. he sat up groggily noticing that his ... companion was nowhere to be found. He felt a rush of panic until he remembered she could very well defend herself. And then came another bout of anxiety as he discovered the niggling attachment he seemed to have developed over her.

It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. Most of his energies were devoted to training and protecting the remnants of the Leaf community.

The words "sexual" and "frustration" were always separate enities. (and the first one didn't at all exist in his vocabulary until recently)

Oh, he had tried dating a few times, but he didn't feel comfortable. As corny as it sounded, he hadn't managed to fall in love.

Well perhaps, that was until now.

Perhaps.

He wasn't entirely too sure of what he felt for her.

Sasuke had only known her for a short time... He wasn't being a prude. It had been wonderful. He had enjoyed giving pleasure as well as receiving it, but he just had to pause and ask.

What did this all mean?

Everything was happening so fast.

"Stop overthinking so early in the morning." a rustle of leaves as her familiar aura invaded his senses. "Or you'll bust a brain cell or two."

The last Uchiha hid a chuckled under his snort. He whirled around to face a complete and utter stranger with HER blue eyes. "Who the hell are you and where is she??!!" he snarled, leaping to his feet, choosing caution over modesty.

"You know who I am." a mutter of disbelief. "Seriously, take a chill pill."

This unbearably ORANGE boy had her voice, her inflections and her tone if only a little deeper. But he spoke like a "normal person" which confused the Uchiha further.

When the other stepped into a beam of sunlight in order to get closer to him, Sasuke nearly suffered an apoplexy. This boy could have been Kyuubi's male twin!

He swatted the boy's comforting hand away from him, wondering if this was some sort of horrible genjutsu.

"OW! You bastard, that hurt!!" the blond whined, flapping his injured limb. "It's me..." There was a sudden exclamation. "Dammit, I forgot you were asleep when I did the Sealing!! How do I get you to believe me?" He pursed his lips. "Aha!" Jerking off the collar to his black-striped tangerine apparel, he revealed the impression of the Uchiha's teeth on the junction of his neck and shoulder.

It had been the mating mark that Kyuubi had asked Sasuke to place on her, to ward off other interested parties. It was the exact size, shape and location that it had been last night. Besides, there had been no one to witness their activities.

A triumphant smile made its way to the blond's face. "So now do you believe me, bastard??"

"Look, Kyuubi, if this is some kind of prank, knock it off alright?" Sasuke growled, yanking on his pants; generally fumbling about clearing camp. He swore. This was such a mood killer, honestly.

"But I'm not Kyuubi." the shorter boy protested. "My name's Naruto Uzumaki. It's nice to finally meetcha' like this Sasuke."

A throbbing vein popped into existence atop Sasuke's left brow. "Fine. I'll play along. You just admitted to being Kyuubi a while ago, "Naruto". You also showed me the mating mark. So if you're not Kyuubi, I'm assuming you're someone else. An enemy perhaps. An enemy I can maim or kill."

"Ahahaha... now, now... don't be such a bastard, Sasuke." The blond sweatdropped. "Well, I am the Kyuubi, sort of... ummm this is really hard to explain... This is who I was when I was human."

Sasuke blinked. "You're a boy." he returned flatly.

"Uh-huh."

"You're a BOY and Kyuubi's GIRL!!!" was the further elaboration, coupled with a glare.

"Uhn... I've been living eons as Kyuubi, I kinda forgot...I was?" Naruto scratched the back of his head.

Sasuke's mind started meltdown. There was just no way! How could you forget something like that?

Had he just willingly (enthusiastically, too) lost his virtue to a gender-confused fox demon??!!

-

-

"Let me get this straight." Sasuke murmured from his perch beneath a large oak. "You were born a human boy, sometime about two hundred years ago. When you were 16, you made contact with an entity that possessed you, which happened to be the Kyuubi?"

The blond head bobbed unsurely. "Well in the general sense of things yes. Are we going to your home now? 'Cause it's just like beyond those trees."

A pale hand rubbed an equally wan face.

Sasuke, after the astounding declaration of one Uzumaki Naruto, dragged the poor boy to the side of the road and demanded an explanation in a cold, hard voice. He really didn't know what to make of the situation.

"You know, just because I'm a boy now doesn't mean you can treat me like a sack of potatos." Naruto complained, trying unsucessfully to flex his muscles from the ropes that bound him to another tree.

Sharingan eyes glared. "So which are you really? Girl or boy?"

A smirk from the blond. "Is that the thing that bothers you, you bastard? Yes, when I was human a couple of ages ago, I was born a boy. When I became Kyuubi, I chose to be female."

""CHOSE" to be female?"

"Both Kyuubi and I have out lasted several immortals, the fox demon even more so, what makes you think I do not have the power to acquire what I will? There is no male or female for me. I just am."

There it was, the Kyuubi that Sasuke knew, peeking out from under the sheer idiocy that was Naruto. Somehow, it comforted the raven-haired man to no end. "Are you and Kyuubi the same?"

Naruto frowned. "That's kinda hard to answer. In a way yes. We're like a two-in-one-package, with each part still unique. Two sides of the same coin and all that jazz. So now can you untie me? Rope burns suck."

"Not yet. Just one more question."

"So hurry up and ask already." his victim whined.

"Shut up." Sasuke balked as he remembered last night. "Just who between the two of you is my mate?"

"Duh, both of us!! It's not like we're different people... ok so maybe we are..." The blond sweatdropped. "Put it this way, I have another identity called Kyuubi, who is technically still me only not human. Human me, is well, me. Because of certain limitations in THIS body, Kyuubi and I have different ways of seeing and understanding. I'm not all-knowing nor as powerful as Kyuubi."

Sasuke clicked his teeth together, flicking a kunai to slice the thick ropes. "Not all smart either."

"HEY!!" Before Naruto could take any action, his vision was blocked by smoldering red eyes.

"You better not be fucking with me." the other man hissed.

The blond didn't even flinch. "Sasuke" he said as gently as possible." I'm not yanking your chain. You asked to Mate and I agreed. If there is anything you should know, Mating is serious. When you bit me and vice versa, it was binding. Not the forever kind, but a promise like exclusivity until we're sure we wanna be all married like and stuff... I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I do have my reasons." he cocked his head. "Which will have to wait since we have guests."

Sharingan eyes drilled into his own. "You will tell me everything." he commanded before facing what he sensed to be Konoha patrol nins. A promise of painful death hung in the air unsaid.

Naruto couldn't retort as much as he wanted to. A chorus of surprised yells and exclamations of welcome for Sasuke cut him off. It took several minutes until they registered the blond stranger hanging in the background.

"Ahahaha..." he chuckled faintly, wiggling his fingers at the gaggle of ninja. "Uh, hi?"

He could tell he was in trouble. Just how was he going to explain all this and still achieve his goal? Really, Kyuubi shouldn't have gone and gotten claimed by Sasuke. Things would be triply hard.

The only perk he had was that in this human body he could lie. Not that he like to do that anyway... Kyuubi's limitations were rubbing of on him. He, as a human didn't really outright lie, just twisted the truth a little to make others believe what they will.

This would be challenging.

Oh well, they both loved a good one every now and then.

-

-

"And who are you again?" the pink haired medic nin slurred as she wobbled her way around the camp fire. She'd had a little too much to drink at Sasuke's "Hey You're Alive and We're All Really Happy That You Came Back In One Piece" party.

Naruto laughed awkwardly, slightly embarrassed for her. Sakura had been coming on to everyone who remotely resembled a biped. She was just THAT drunk. "Uhm... I'm the guy Sasuke saved from Wave Country a couple of days ago?"

The blond was just glad that Kyuubi had been forward thinking enough to use such a timely alibi. The demon had managed to both predict and become aware of the land's falling in upon itself and had passed the information unto him, before he had sealed her. He fed that story to the Leaf nins, who were sympathetic to his plight and didn't pry into his business anymore, for which Naruto was grateful. He really sucked at lying...

The medic nin's face turned solemn. "Oh, I'm sorry about your losses... It was kind of a shock to learn that your country sank into the sea. It's good that you survived."

"Yeah." the blond agreed as he kept his eyes on the celebrant, who was trying to remain stoic, but failing miserably. Sasuke was obviously happy to be back home and Naruto would let him be for now. Although he wanted to get even with the bastard for not helping him out during the "friendly interrogation" with his tribe. He muttered under his breath. "It wasn't such a surprise though to have Wave collapse..."

"Did you say something?" she asked, peering at him suspiciously.

He shook his head furiously. "Oh no nothing at all. I'm just going to get myself a few drinks now. Bye."

Not waiting for a reply, Naruto rushed to the food table, berating himself for being loose with his tongue. He grabbed a free glass from the rack at the corner and filled it with water. He moved in a shadowned corner and sipped the cool liquid.

He snorted at the irony of it all. In his human days, he would have been the center of attention and maybe the life of the party. He would have been bright and loud and all over the place; not a care in the world... now he was watching a slab of unresponsive rock (Sasuke) in the middle of people who had been much like himself.

Truly, how things have changed. There was a point in his life when he wished he could have his past-life back, instead of this senseless something he had to achieve; which he could not abandon or forget. His inhuman sense of loyalty and duty wouldn't let him.

"You don't feel much like celebrating?" a cultured voice asked him.

Naruto didn't bother to look at the new comer, he was too busy observing the Leaf people in their moment of joy. "No."

"I'm sorry if it seems like we are being callous celebrating like this, seeing as how you are probably the sole survivor of the Wave tragedy."

The blond boy smiled, turning to face his companion. "It's not such a big deal. I understand." He would have said more, but the words died in his throat.

His companion was tall, pale and willowy, with eyes of pure silver glinting in the fire light. Power, grace, beauty. All rolled into one. That and the undeniable stench of being one of her own.

"Y-you..." Naruto stuttered, suddenly glad that he sealed his Kyuubi self. "You've been here all this time?"

"Yes. I'm sorry if I am intruding your privacy. I am Neji." obviously misunderstanding what the blond had been trying to say.

Naruto frowned. Something was wrong here. "T-that's ok... I don't mind." Neji was a demon in his prime and should have been able to recognize the Kyuubi, even shuttered away. "Aah... Do you know anyone named Yugito?"

The taller male's mouth straightened into a tight line. "I can't say that I have."

"o-oh... sorry, my bad. It's just that you and her look so much alike. I thought you were related." the blond lied.

"It was an honest mistake."

There was a pause before Neji stepped closer to the blond. "Would you like me to show you the guest tents? Maybe you would like to turn in for the night."

"That will not be necessary Neji. Naruto will be staying with me."

The blue eyed he-she unwittingly stepped back, as Sasuke interrupted them. Underneath the black haired man's feigned serenity was a dark and irritated aura.

And it was directed at him.

Naruto gulped.

* * *

Confused about the Naruto-Kyuubi/ he-she thing? It gets a little clearer later on (I hope). I'm not giving away the plot yet. And remember that Yugito, a FEMALE, was the original host for the Nibi.

More demons coming up next. . hahahaha

Oh yeah, since they are a tribe, they will be living in tents and stuff. Please read and review.


End file.
